East County Strings

Strathmore provides 180 students from 10 middle schools six weeks of tuition-free after-school coaching from professional instrumentalists. Music teachers from each school select shared repertoire. All students gather for a large-scale public performance, with their coaches playing by their sides. 

Latin Strings and Percussion

New in 2019, over 90 students from two middle schools and one high school learn Latin-American music for strings and orchestra, which is not available for study at the schools otherwise. Kristofer Sanz of Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras of Strathmore leads this program. 

Sing Out!

Strathmore provides an after-school choral program in two schools which do not provide chorus as a class option. With a goal of building interest and resources for permanent programs in these schools, Strathmore works with highly credentialed, veteran choral directors to lead the program. Students rehearse twice a week after school and then join Strathmore Children’s Chorus onstage in the Concert Hall for a culminating performance experience.

Arts Within Reach

Through partnerships with schools where a high percentage of students receive free and reduced-price meals, Strathmore works with teachers to create a customized slate of performances, workshops, and demonstrations throughout the year. Arts Within Reach includes residencies with professional artists and Spring Break @ Strathmore where fourth and fifth graders attend workshops at Strathmore and create a performance for their families and peers. 

Step Up East County

Students at four residency sites receive after-school instruction in the art of stepping from Strathmore’s artistic partner Step Afrika!, the only professional dance company in the world dedicated to the art of step. In conjunction, Strathmore brings students to see Step Afrika!’s annual Step Xplosion performance in the Concert Hall and produces a culminating student showcase performance. 

Think Big Café 

A partnership of MCPS, Glenstone, and Strathmore, Think Big Café is a multi-disciplinary, year-long experience for fourth graders. The entire fourth grades from different schools gather for field trips to the Glenstone art museum to study sculpture, then get together at AMP to meet one another and process what they learned. They study the found-object percussion work of Scrap Arts Music, live-chatting with the artists in advance of an in-person visit to their schools by the group. The program is led by the collaboration among the fourth-grade classroom teachers and arts teachers at each school.

Corridor Concerts

This series, launched in 2016, is built on collaborations between local ensembles and Strathmore Artists. Each year, over 300 community members perform alongside professional artists in these diverse performances that celebrate culture and bring people together. The 2018-2019 season focused on the music of women and African American composers. 

Student Concerts at Strathmore

Strathmore serves tens of thousands of children annually when every 2nd and 5th grader in Montgomery County comes to the Music Center for the opportunity to experience the wonder of a live performance and build on classroom-based curriculum on classical music and the blues.

Classes and Concerts at Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center

Launched this season, the new Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center is now home to a diverse array of classes and free concerts open to the entire community. Strathmore worked in partnership with the Department of Recreation to make this new center arts friendly.

Community Festivals

Strathmore works closely with community leaders to produce diverse performances at existing local festivals with our Bloom Pop-Up Stage.

Partners

Bloom programs are possible because of an incredible network of partners and supporters who believe in the arts as strongly as we do. Learn about Bloom partners here: